A series of studies reported in MIT Sloan Mgt. Rev., Fall 2005 at 5, suggest, to the degree that they are applicable to the clients of law departments, that client satisfaction surveys may raise expectations of performance in the future by the law department.

The item makes the point that clients create expectations based on past experiences. Hence, the first survey by a law department has a retrospective tone, but it may raise the bar of performance expectations for the future. If true, the law department that frequently asks “How are we doing?” may find itself on a treadmill of rising client expectations.